Education Law

Maryland schools launch fundraising effort for Haiti

BoardBuzz is not surprised by the outpouring of support and concern for the victims of the Haiti earthquake. As of Thursday afternoon, the Red Cross had raised more than $4 million in donations via its text message campaign: Text ?Haiti? to 90999, and a $10 donation is added to your cell phone bill. The mechanism is so wonderfully simple?removing the payment hurdle from the equation entirely?that donations have flooded in.

Even the Maryland State Department of Education is asking Maryland schools and school systems to reach out to the victims of the devastating earthquake that leveled Port-au-Prince through a voluntary statewide fundraising campaign.

The Maryland Kids Care Campaign: Operation Haiti is asking Maryland?s 1,600 schools to collect pennies for the earthquake victims. Five years ago Maryland schools raised more than $1.3 million through the Maryland Kids Care: Collecting Pennies (and More) for the Victims of Hurricane Katrina.

?As we witnessed through the Hurricane Katrina campaign, Maryland children are extremely caring and compassionate and always willing to help others,? said Nancy S. Grasmick, state superintendent of schools. ?The people of Haiti have experienced a tragic natural disaster and this new campaign will provide an opportunity for all Maryland school children to give what they can to help the hundreds of thousands affected by the earthquake.?

The funds for the Maryland Kids Care Campaign: Operation Haiti, which runs through Friday, February 12, 2010, will go towards the American Red Cross?s 2010 Haiti Relief and Development Fund.

For more information on the campaign visit www.MarylandPublicSchools.org.

Full post as published by BoardBuzz: NSBA's Daily Weblog on January 15, 2010 (boomark / email).